Powell puts faith in experience

17 Jun 2013 14:16:53

England women's team manager Hope Powell feels her 23-strong squad of youth and experience can make a real impact at next month's European Championship in Sweden.

Rachel Brown and Kelly Smith will be heading into their sixth major tournament, while the likes of captain Casey Stoney, Arsenal forward Smith, Fara Williams and Rachel Yankey all have more than a century of caps.

Liverpool duo Gemma Bonner and Lucy Bronze are the only two uncapped players within the squad. Toni Duggan, of Everton, Birmingham duo Jordan Nobbs and Jade Moore are also set for a first taste of senior international tournament football, having helped the under-19s win their European Championship in Belarus four years ago.

There are significant absentees, however, as left-backs Rachel Unitt and Claire Rafferty miss out because of knee injuries.

England were unbeaten in their qualifying campaign, and are ranked fourth for Europe in the FIFA world rankings. Powell hopes that momentum will continue into Sweden, where they will be in a group with Spain, Russia and France.

"A lot of players in this squad have appeared in major tournaments before and that experience will certainly serve them well in Sweden," she said.

"We will need that experience because we are in a very tough group, but looking at the amount of caps this squad has amassed, I don't think there is any reason for them to be fazed.

"It is about them performing and using their experience to help both themselves and the other players."

England, who lost to Germany at the last senior European finals, will play two friendly matches before their opening match on July 12 against Spain, tackling world champions Japan at Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium on June 26 and then hosts Sweden in a friendly on July 4 in Uddevalla.